Inflatable coat.



F. F. HODGKINS.

INFLATABLE GOAT. APPLICATION runn'm'u e. 1909. v

Patented'Aug. 31, 1909.

2 SHEETS-SHBBT 1.

F. F. HODGKINS.

INFLATABLE GOAT.

APPLICATION rmzn MAY 6. 1909.

Patented Aug. 31, 1909.

2 SHEBT8BHEET 2.

. fgj

' universally used may ments or been made and patented; so far as I-amflated; and, second, are expensive. ently,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FREDERICK 'F. Honexms, 01- EAST B'os'roN, MASSACHUSETTS.

nir-LATABLE ooA'r.

To all whom it may'comrn:

Be it knownthat I, FREDERICK F. Honc- KINS, a citizen of the UnitedStates, and resident of East Boston, in the county of Suffolk and Stateof Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements inInflatable Coats, of which the following is a specificat1on.

My invention relatesfito the construction of waterproof garments such asare used by seamen and fishermen and conslsts 1n '11nprovcments wherebythe ordinary waterproof r coat such as the oilskin garments now almostbe simply, cheaply and effectively provided with an inflatable chamberwhich not only serves in emergency as a life preserver but a service ofthe ordinary uses to whichit is adapted.

I am aware that very many contrivances in the shape of inflatable lifepreserving garattachments thereto have heretofore aware, however,flatable adjuncts structed as more or less to detract from the ordinaryutility of the garments themselves and have involved special,con'trivances which make the garment too expensive to be available tothe very class of people who such garments or the in-' more thanothersare likely to require a life chamber is necessary for the purpose andthat, therefore, cially contrived My invention herein described, incontrast to the life preserving garments with which f I am acquainted,calls for nofspecial or exensive addition or le to the cheap universallyused waterproof garments now in-vogue, and adds so little to the expenseof constructing such garments, that the cost of'production or theselling special attachments or spe- Siiecific'a'tion of Letters iatent.Application filed May 6, 1909. SerialNo. 494,414.

'or coat and the linnig belng continuous throughout the composed ofcotton 7 lso improves the co1nfort and efficiency of the garment 1n thethereto have been so con 'conve'nlent place 111 l nearly opposite'the.rear garments are indispensable.

attachment, isapplica-.

Preferably, lock stitch Patented Aug. 31, 1909.

price thereof need not be materially in-. creased.

In the drawings hereto annexed which illustrate my invention,-I igure 1is a View of the back of an, ordinary oilskin coat embodying myimprovement, and Fig. 2 is a view of the front thereof.

The'so-called oilskin coat as now constructed -is composed of the outerportion an inner portion or lining '1,

inside of the coat,

both as 'to' body and sleeves. Both these essential portions are clothand after being stitched, are treated with boiled linseed-oil and dried.These coats for all practical pub poses are-waterproof, although theyare by no means so impervious as rubber or rubher-coated; cloth, and forthis reason, as well as on account of the cheapness of such garments,they are preferred to rubber clothing,

being lighter and on the whole better ventlv lated;

In applying my improvement to the construction of garments of thecharacter above described, Iattach to the lining thereof at a I thebreast portion, a, flexible rubber tube as T and provide this rubbertube with a simple constricting clip composed of spring metal as at- T.Such clips are an ordinary article of commerce and are easily attachableto a rubber tube. I then form an endless line of stitching which passesthrough the outer coat and the lining I joining the two and forming achamber with which the tube T communicates. This line of stitchescrossesthe back of the garment between the shoulders at s (Fig. 1) thendownward on either side at a under the arm size, upward at the front ofthe garment at a, to a oint opposite or me of stitches s,

across at s, then downward adjacent to then button flap at 8 back at theline 8. lVhen the coat has been and entirely around the," 1100 soprepared, it is oiled and dried in the usual 2-,,

manner, the oiling taking effect upon thestitches made as aforesaid.above described may be applied to a coat after oilingand servesubstantially as well as when the stitching is done beforepilin'g,though in such case the stitching had better be made with an oiled orwaxed thread.- the stitching is a double thread and the stitching whenfinished The stitching surface.

' the sides will instantly displace the airto causing the. line ofstitches beglnnmg and end.

from the col 40' should form a continuous or endless line. This may beelieetively accomplished by i to overlap at the W hen formed as abovedescribed, the chamber inclosed between the upper coat 0 and lining I isnot absolutely air tight either in respect to the cloth walls thereof orthe bordering line of stitches; it is however, sufficiently air tightfor all practical purposes and will remain inflated without reinflationfor a considerable time. The very circumstance that there is a slighteakage, I consider to be an advantage rather thana detriment. Clothingof thiskind' is worn by sailors I and fishermen in wet weather and aftervery long exposure to rain or sleet the garment as. usually constructedwill be found to be damp on the inside. The in (iatable chamber abovedescribed when venVslightly inflated separates a considerable portion ofthe outer coat 0 from the lining 'I and makes the former serve with thelatter somewhat a's the flap of a tent to the inner part thereof, sothat the coat will remain dry over a large part of its inner The slowescape of air through the cloth 'outward effectively. prevents theentrance of water. By providing'only a. single inflatable chamber of thecharacter ,described, even when this is filled or partially filled withair, it will not incommode the wearer, since any pressure of the armsupon other portions of the chamber.

In practical use the manner to berecommended is for the wearerto inflatethe chamber very slightly so as to secure all the advantages ofrotection from moisture and d while the coat is not so fully inflated asto make it awkward. If b chance thewearer falls overboard this sma 1quantity of air in the chamber Will suffice to keep his head abovewater, making it easy for him to complete the full inflation by blowingthrough the tube T. p

The. formation of the endless line of stitches which makes theinflatable chamber is the Work of a moment only, does not in any degreemodify the tion ract'ical construe: of the garment, an

is soinexpensive that such waterproof coats- Withthis im-- provementapplied may be sold to sailors maybe supplied to people who need it mostand who are the least able to purchase expensive contrivances of thekind while the garment itself is still as convenient for ordinarypurposes as though there were no in-- llatable chamber incorporatedtherewith.

I have shown the inflatable chamber as occupying a conveniently largeportion of the garment; if desired, alarger chamber may readily be madeby running the endless line of stitches so as to include as much of thegarment as the maker pleases.

'What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent isf' 1. Thecombination of a coat and lining therefor, both composed of waterprooftextile material, the lining and coat joinedby an endless line ofstitches, which form a closed receptacle between the coat and lining,and means for inflating said receptacle.

2. The combination of a coat and lining therefor, both composed ofwaterproof textile material, the lining and coat joined by an endlessline of stitches, passing across the back from shoulder to shoulder,under a sleeve and upward toward the collar, thence downward parallel tothe bmtorrflap, around the back of the coat to the front at'the otherflap, thence upward toward the collar, thence downward and to the rearbelowthe other sleeve, and thence upward, forming-aclosed receptaclebetween the coat and lining, and means for inflating said receptacle.

, Signed by me at Boston, this fifth day of May 1909.

FREDERICK F. HODGKINS.

\Vitnesses ODIN ROBERTS, Cimunns D. W OODBERRY.

Massachusetts, '96

